Ethnic unrest
July 8, 2011
Days of clashes in the Pakistani city of Karachi have left dozens dead since Tuesday. It was unclear exactly how many people had been killed by Friday. Karachi police chief Saud Mirza said 63 had died, with 150 injured. However, provincial information minister Sharjeel Memon put the toll at over 70.
A police spokesman from the city said that the death toll was likely to rise as there were reports of violence in other parts of the port city.
"We have issued orders to the security forces to shoot anyone involved in the incident," said Sharjeel Memon. "In addition to the local police, about 1000 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary have been deployed in the city to control violence."
In the worst incident, gunmen opened fire on two buses, killing 12 people, including a six-year-old girl overnight, a security official said.
Meanwhile, shops and fuelling stations were shut down and public transport has slowed down to a minimum.
PM appeals for peace
Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani appealed for peace on Friday, calling for the country to unite against violence in the city, which has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian conflict.
The latest spate was triggered by the killing of a political activist from the ethnic Pashtun-based Awami National Party (ANP), which is linked to the Pakistan People's Party.
This was just days after its rival party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), announced it was quitting the ruling coalition. The party represents mainly Mohajirs, the descendants of Urdu-speakers who migrated from India after the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
'Turf war'
Security analyst Imtiaz Gul told Reuters that this was a "turf war for political space in this big city," although both parties have denied being involved in the violence.
An unnamed senior security official said it was "definitely a political and ethnic issue, and a strong political commitment would be needed to bring peace to the city."
The dead include political activists from both parties and ordinary people caught in the crossfire.
The US embassy in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, condemned the violence and urged both parties to adhere to peaceful means. There is some concern the recent violence could have an impact on trade, since Karachi contributes nearly 68 percent to Pakistan’s revenues.
Author: Manasi Gopalakrishnan (dpa/Reuters/AFP)
Editor: Anne Thomas